Day 23 a short 9 miles

  Today was a beautiful morning. Heard some wind last night but was in a very sheltered tent spot. My tent flaps didn’t even rattle. I woke up to the sun poking up over the trees. Today we are headed to Tehachapi on a Nero.

It’s interesting how quickly God allows you to adapt. I say a short 9 miles which a couple weeks ago did not seem short at all. 

The trail crosses, high above a meadow down in the valley below.

Amazing view of the clouds on the next mountain range. It is much nicer to see them from afar, instead of when you’re actually standing in them.

Oops, It didn’t survive

Same meadow , from a little bit of lower view and slightly different angle

I am seeing my new friend the PCT sign often. 

More windmills coming down on the side of the mountain. They’re all spinning today.

As I pass by the windmills I can hear their generators. They almost resemble the sound of a small Jet engine 

As we’ve been cruising down the mountain, it’s all been decomposed granite and small rock, and then all of a sudden this one outcropping right on the edge of the trail appears.

For two days we’ve been hearing from South bounders (sobo’s) about a giant drainage thar has washed out They said you had to search uphill through bobbed wire fences to get across it, or have other people to help us. Not sure if it’s just work and life experience with risk assessments and hazard assessment but honestly it wasn’t that big of a deal.

Pipe gate

The Trail family stopped to take a picture of these windmills with beautiful purple flowers underneath, I snapped a picture of them on the trail as well.

Came across some painted rocks right at the end of our trail.

Signed the PCT Trail register at the bottom of the hill.

We reached the road and set about trying to get a hitch into Tehachapi. A car pulled in across the street and waved us over. Bill and Virginia, pictured with Jeff and Ellen, are two trail angels who own a local restaurant. They were great! Took us by the post office and I was able to mail 2.5 pounds of thermal clothes I have not needed ahead to big bear. if I don’t need anything from here to there, I can bounce it forward to Kennedy Meadows for no charge. 

As a thank you for the ride, we went to their restaurant which had great service and really good food.

After lunch, we took a short half mile walk to the hotel, left our packs and continued another half mile to Walmart. The people of Walmart they’re not all bad I had one lady approach and asked if I was a PCT HIKER she was interested in our progress and what we had done. Jeff had another one approach him asking if he was a hiker. He said he was a Trail angel and asked if we would like a ride in the morning back to the Trail we have accepted.

For the rest of the day we will organize our food for the next six days, shower, laundry, Jacuzzi time, dinner, and of course, an early bed.

Today’s miles 8.8 Total trail miles 259.2. PCT mile mark 558.5 due to Flip of 299.5